NC write-up in the Startle-Gram...
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2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
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By G. Chambers Williams III
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Special to the Star-Telegram
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Don't call it a "chick" car.
Mazda's popular little roadster, known as the Miata, has been completely redesigned for 2006, with a beefier new look designed, in part, to help the car overcome its probably undeserved image as a woman's vehicle.
Whether the Miata could ever really be considered just a chick car remains a matter for debate. Although the majority of buyers apparently are women, men like this car, too, and can be seen driving them quite frequently. It has always been a good-looking car that is fun to drive, and those are attributes anyone should like.
In fact, during my recent weeklong test of the '06 Miata, I saw quite a few of the previous model, and among them, only a couple were being driven by women. The men who were driving them seemed to be having fun, and didn't look to be embarrassed to be driving a Miata.
Big people might opt for something other than this tiny two-seater, which someone my size almost needs a shoe horn to get into. But I can tell you that once I was inside, I found the new Miata to be rather comfortable, thanks to sport bucket seats that are suitable for even long road trips.
With this redesign, the car is even more fun to drive than ever, with steering that seems more crisp than before, and road-hugging abilities that allow the car to take backroad twisties with ease.
During our time with the new Miata, my significant other and I took a long Saturday drive on some rather obscure country roads, with the top down, of course. Even at highway speeds, the wind in the cockpit is not overwhelming, and we never needed to raise the side windows to minimize the air flow.
Getting the manual top down is quick and easy, and, surprisingly, can be done while sitting in the driver's seat. A single lever in the middle unhooks the soft top from the windshield, and the top is light enough to be pushed back and locked into the area behind the seats with one hand.
Raising it again is just as easy, as we found out after about three hours of driving in the hot South Texas sun. I was getting a bit sunburned (she wasn't; she put sunblock on before we left), so I pulled over and brought the top back up without even unbuckling my seatbelt, re-latched it to the windshield, and we were on our way again in less than a minute.
With the top up, the car cooled down rather quickly with its super-cold air conditioning, but the cockpit actually wasn't much quieter than it was with the top down. That's one of the side effects of a soft top, but one we could live with.
The cockpit has more room than before, especially for small items and drinks. There are two cupholders in the center console and one each in the doors. Behind the seats is room for a couple of purses or, in our case, a purse and a camera bag. One of the complaints about the original Miata was that there was so little interior space that if two women were riding in the car, one would have to hold two purses in her lap.
Nowhere on this car does the name “Miata” appear. Mazda has said that it was dropping the Miata part of the name with the redesign, calling the new model the MX-5 only.
Curiously, though, the manufacturer's window sticker called it the “MX-5 Miata Grand Touring,” so I suppose that even the folks who make these cars are confused about whether it is still a Miata.
I had said earlier that perhaps removing the Miata name was meant to help sell the redesigned model as an all-new vehicle that would appeal to men at least as much, if not more than, it does to women. But I suspect that with the popularity of the Miata in the United States, it's going to be hard to lose the name.
Upon introduction in 1989, the Miata single-handedly revived the whole affordable-roadster segment, and was seen as a modern, more-reliable replacement for the little British and Italian roadsters of the ‘60s and ‘70s – such as those from Triumph, Fiat, MG and others. That formula doesn't change for 2006 – and in fact, the car is even more affordable than ever as the base price has been lowered to $20,995, down from $22,658 for the 2005 model.
Mazda sold just over 9,000 of the Miata last year, but would like to see the car once again sell at much higher volumes in the United States, its best market. A target of 20,000 sales annually has been mentioned, something that the car had done consistently during the 1990s.
Although it's still instantly recognizable as a Miata, the new model really is completely new, with no parts from the 2005 model.
Compared with the 2005 model, this third-generation Miata is 1.6 inches longer and wider, and 0.6 inches taller.
Wheelbase has increased by 2.6 inches, to 91.7, and overall length is 157.1 inches. The 2.0-liter engine is new to this car, having been adapted from an engine Mazda uses in other vehicles around the globe, including the Mazda3 and Mazda6 sedans.
This engine increases base horsepower to 170, up from 2005's 142. That is almost as much as the 178 horsepower supplied by the uplevel turbocharged MazdaSpeed Miata for 2005.
A new five-speed manual gearbox is standard; and a six-speed manual is used on uplevel models, including our test car, the uplevel Grand Touring model (base price $24,435 plus $500 freight).
A six-speed automatic transmission borrowed from the RX-8 is optional for those who would rather not have to bother with a clutch and manual shift. Still, manual shifting is the best way to go with a car like this, which is meant for people who like to drive, and who like the control that a manual shifter gives the driver.
Our six-speed manual had a short throw, which made the car easy to shift through all six of those gears.
With this transmission, our car, with its 12-gallon fuel tank, was EPA rated at 24 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
Unlike the past, when the Miata was built mostly of unique components, the car now shares components across the Mazda lineup. It is such economies of scale that help an automaker reduce costs on the design, engineering and manufacture of new models.
The new Miata has some chassis similarities to the RX-8, allowing it to be built on the same assembly line, the company said. The two vehicles, however, are not built on the same chassis architecture, therefore are significantly different vehicles. The Miata is not just a down-sized version of the RX-8.
Among the MX-5's components that will be common among several Mazda vehicles are its antilock brakes, stability control systems, stereo systems, door locks, and some interior parts, the company said.
The new model's slightly larger size and more-rigid body give it better handling. But it was engineered to have the same handling characteristics as its predecessor, which has a huge following of happy owners, who mostly are budget-conscious auto enthusiasts who know a real bargain when they see one.
Mazda as a company is enjoying a new era of success and popularity, and the introduction of the redesigned Miata should help continue that trend.
G. Chambers Williams III is staff automotive columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and former transportation writer for the Star-Telegram. His automotive columns have appeared regularly in the Star-Telegram since 1995. Contact him at (210) 250-3236; [email protected]. 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The package: Subcompact, rear-drive, two-passenger, two-door, four-cylinder, soft-top convertible sports car.
Highlights: All-new for 2006, this is the third generation of Mazda’s little two-seat roadster, introduced in 1989 and last redesigned in 1999. It’s slightly bigger and more powerful than the previous model, and has no carryover parts.
Negatives: Noisy inside with the top up; still a tight fit for larger people.
Engine: 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder.
Power/torque: 170 horsespower/140 foot-pounds.
Transmissions: Five-speed or six-speed manual; six-speed automatic.
Length: 157.3 inches.
Curb weight: 2,441-2,498 pounds.
Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, power, antilock.
Steering: Rack and pinion, power.
Trunk volume: 5.3 cubic feet.
Major competitors: Pontiac Solstice.
EPA fuel economy: 23-25 miles per gallon city/30 highway.
Fuel capacity: 12.7 gallons.
Base price range: $20,435-$26,700 plus $560 freight.
Price as tested: $25,495 including freight and $500 extra for Bilstein shocks (Grand Touring model).
On the Road rating: **** (four stars out of five). Prices shown are manufacturer’s suggested retail; actual selling price may vary due to manufacturer and/or dealer discounts, rebates and incentives.
